Signs and Symptoms of an Aura Migraine

According to the National Headache Foundation (NHF), nearly 30 million Americans experience migraines. A migraine with aura is also referred to as a “classic” or “classical” migraine. According to the NHF, Lewis Carroll, author of “Alice in Wonderland,” suffered from aura migraines and developed ideas for his book from the visual disturbances experienced while in the aura phase. According to the Migraine Research Foundation, 15 to 20 percent of migraine sufferers experience an aura before their migraines. According to the Mayo Clinic, an aura is a warning sign or signal that occurs within one hour before the migraine begins, and it can last from 10 to 30 minutes. People experience auras as sensory disturbances, physical symptoms or a combination of the two.

Visual Disturbances

• Vision changes are the most common type of aura phase. The vision disturbances typically begin in the center of the field of vision and spread outward. Abnormal visual sensations can include shimmering spots or stars, zigzag lines that slowly float across the field of vision, temporary loss of vision that usually affects the peripheral vision, blind spots in the visual field and flashes of light or dots.

Other Sensory Disturbances

• Signs and symptoms of a migraine aura that involve senses other than vision include hearing a ringing sound in the ears, numbness of the face, feeling a tingling sensation in the arms or legs, problems speaking or understanding someone that is speaking to you and changes in smell, taste or touch.

Additional Symptoms

• Additional symptoms of a migraine with aura include confusion, irritability, depression, restlessness, intense energy or fatigue, food cravings and muscle weakness on one side of the body. A person with a migraine with aura can experience nausea, vomiting, the feeling of painful burning or prickly skin sensations while performing everyday activities (such as brushing hair) and sensitivity to light, sounds and smells. Some people also experience a “funny feeling” but are unable to describe it.

Pain

• Severe head pain associated with a migraine with aura is described as intense throbbing or dull aching, and pain may occur before or after the aura begins. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, a person can also experience the aura and migraine at the same time. The pain usually occurs on one side of the head but can affect both sides.